Malaria: Expert harps on environmental cleanliness

A medical expert, Dr Okechukwu Ossai, has advised Nigerians to eliminate breeding sites and maintain high environmental cleanliness to reduce malaria incidence in the country.

Okechukwu, who is the Hospital Administrator, Enugu State Hospital Management Board, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Enugu.

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He noted that malaria could be eliminated if everyone would always keep to basic hygiene principles in homes and the environment.

The public health expert said that to maintain a clean environment, water receptacles that included empty containers around the surroundings and in drainages should be frequently removed.

He added that removing waste in drainages would prevent breeding sites for mosquitoes which often cause malaria.

He urged the public to prevent stagnant water in their environment by avoiding blockage of water channels.

Ossai stressed that sleeping under insecticide-treated net also helps in preventing mosquito bite and malaria.

“Insecticide-treated net is important for both adults and children as this is another way by which malaria can be prevented,” he said.